Relationship between MPV and paraoxonase-1 activity, brachial artery diameter and IMT in patients with diabetes mellitus

Aims: Higher mean platelet volume (MPV) in diabetic patients has been considered as an emerging risk factor for diabetes related micro- and macrovascular complications. Human paraoxonase 1/arylesterase (PON1), which has antioxidant and antiatherogenic properties, is documented in high oxidative stress conditions like uncontrolled diabetes. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV) and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, brachial artery diameter (BAd) and intima media thickness (BA-IMT), in diabetic patients with regard to obesity and diabetic complications.Methods: Two-hundred and one diabetic patients (mean age: 52.4 ± 13.4 years, 73.6% females) were grouped according to obesity and diabetic complications (microvascular and macrovascular). Data on demographics, anthropometrics, diabetic complications, MPV levels, BAd and BA-IMT, and serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities were recorded. The correlation of MPV values to paraoxonase and arylesterase activities, BAd and BA-IMT was evaluated.Results: Paraoxonase and arylesterase values were 119.8 ± 37.5 U/L and 149.0 ± 39.9 U/L, respectively, with no significant difference in respect of obesity and macrovascular complications. Significantly lower values for paraoxonase (107.5 ± 30.7 vs. 123.9 ± 38.8 U/L, p = 0.007) and arylesterase (132.1 ± 30.2 vs. 154.7 ± 41.2, U/L, p = 0.001) were noted in patients with microvascular complications. MPV values were 9.10 ± 0.87 fL, with no significant difference across the groups and no significant correlation with other parameters.Conclusion: In conclusion, PON-1 activity is more significantly decreased in diabetic patients with microvascular than macrovascular complications with no effects on MPV values. On the other hand, no relationship was found between thrombogenic activity and PON-1 activity, BAd and BA-IMT regardless of obesity and diabetic complications.Keywords: cardiovascular, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, vasculatur

Comparison of Survival Rates, Tumor Stages, and Localization in between Obese and Nonobese Patients with Gastric Cancer

Purpose. In this study we tried to determine the association between body-mass index (BMI), survival rate, and the stage of tumor at the time of diagnosis in patients with gastric cancer. Methods. A total of 270 gastric cancer patients’ hospital records were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were grouped according to their BMI at the time of tumor diagnosis. Tumor stages at admission were compared according to their BMI values. Results. There were no differences in OS among BMI subgroups (p=0.230). The percent of patients with stage III tumor was significantly higher in nonobese while the percent of stage IV tumor was surprisingly higher in obese patients (p was 0.011 and 0.004, resp.). Percent of patients who did not have any surgical intervention was significantly lower in overweight and obese patients than normal and/or underweight patients. Conclusions. At the time of diagnosis, obese patients had significantly higher percent of stage IV tumor than nonobese patients. Despite of that, there were no differences in survival rates among BMI subgroups. Our study results are consistent with “obesity paradox” in gastric cancer patients. We also did not find any relationship between BMI and localization of gastric tumor

Relation of Paraoxonase 1 Activity with Biochemical Variables, Brachial Artery Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Diabetes with or without Obesity

Aim: The sodium-sparing effect of insulin leads to increase in total sodium pool of the body which is a chronic stimulus for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). In our study we aimed to determine the relationship between ANP and microvascular complications of diabetes. Methods: 60 patients, 30-70 years old, with the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are enrolled into the study. Patients with a chronic disease other than DM are excluded. Blood samples for routine biochemical tests are taken after at least 12 h fasting at 8-9 am. Blood samples for glucose and insulin levels are taken 2 h after a standard meal. Blood tubes with EDTA are used for ANP levels. The microvascular complications of the patients are evaluated. Results: 32 of the patients had microvascular complications. Age, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and ANP levels were significantly higher in the group with microvascular complications. There were no significant differences in waist-to-hip ratio, blood glucose, HbA1c, fasting insulin, postprandial insulin, fasting HOMA, postprandial HOMA as well as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and lipid levels between the two groups. When the relationship between ANP and obesity, retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, diabetes time, HbA1c, or sex are evaluated separately, the only significant parameters related to ANP were obesity and retinopathy. Conclusion: In our study we have found that there was a significant relationship between ANP levels and microvascular complications of diabetes. Future studies are needed to show if ANP is the stimulus of microvascular complication development/progression or only an epiphenomenon

The relationship of beck depression inventory with vitamin D levels and visceral fat mass in cancer patients

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and vitamin D levels, total and visceral fat mass in cancer patients. Methods: A total of 219 patients participated in this study. Patients' blood tests including prealbumin, vitamin D levels, BMI values and total and visceral fat masses were measured. Also, all subjects completed a self-administered BDI questionnaire. Obtained data were analyzed by using NCSS (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2007 (Kaysville, Utah, USA). Results: A total of 219 patients consisted of 53.9% (n=118) females and 46.1% (n=101) males with median age 52.41 +/- 13.66 (range, 19-84) years. Mean BMI value was 24.70 +/- 3.75 kg/m(2); mean BDI score was 13.02 +/- 8.72; and mean prealbumin level was 0.21 +/- 0.07 g/L. BMI was negatively correlated with BDI in all study groups (P=0.002). Also prealbumin levels, vitamin D levels and hemoglobin levels were negatively correlated with BDI (P0.05). Depression status had a significant relationship with BMI, vitamin D levels, prealbumin levels and malnutrition status in patients (P = 0.008, 0.001, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: We have determined a significant correlation between vitamin D levels and BDI scores in cancer patients. Also prealbumin and hemoglobin levels may indicate BDI scores in cancer patients. There was no correlation between BDI score and visceral fat mass. There was a negative correlation between BDI score and BMI levels but no correlation was found between BDI score and total or visceral fat mass in cancer patients. Thus vitamin D levels could be used to determine the depression and nutritional status in cancer patients which may help to improve the clinical outcomes in those patients

Comparison of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients

OBJECTIVE:In this study, we aimed to compare the cardiovascular risk factors that might be associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.METHODS:Fifty hemodialysis and 50 peritoneal dialysis patients who had been receiving dialysis therapy for at least one year were included in the study. Venous blood samples were taken after 12 hours of fasting, and serum glucose, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and homocysteine levels were measured. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery was evaluated by carotid Doppler ultrasound. These data were analyzed by Student’s t test, the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate.RESULTS:No difference was found between the hemodialysis (n=50) and peritoneal dialysis (n=50) patient groups regarding mean age, gender distribution, body mass index or dialysis duration (p=0.269, 0.683, 0.426, and 0.052, respectively). LDL-cholesterol, fibrinogen and homocysteine levels were significantly higher in peritoneal dialysis patients (p=0.006, 0.001, and 0.002, respectively). In patients with diabetes mellitus (n=17) who were undergoing renal replacement therapy, LDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher than in patients without diabetes mellitus who were undergoing renal replacement therapy (p=0.001 and 0.004, respectively).CONCLUSION:In our study, cardiovascular risk factors (especially LDL-cholesterol) were more frequent in peritoneal dialysis patients than in hemodialysis patients

Heat shock protein 70 is a useful marker for predicting colorectal cancer

Purpose: In colorectal cancer (CRC), as in most of other malignancies, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are overexpressed and are associated with apoptosis, cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, invasion, and metastasis. HSP70 is one of the HSPs and has a promising future in cancer studies for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this study, we tried to evaluate the serum levels of HSP70 in CRC patients, and to evaluate its predictive value of detecting CRC